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Airlock Jumping
Airlock Jumping is an extreme underground "sport" that was invented by Sonic the Hedgehog as a means of escaping boredom while on starships. Airlock Jumping is highly dangerous, wasteful on oxygen resources, and has a good probability of resulting in the death of those involved, but what is most shocking of all is that it has seen something of a surge in popularity among bored Naval personnel and others. Though it is doubtful that Sonic ever intended for his idea to be taken that far, it had evolved into its own extreme sports 'league'. It was considered an adrenaline junkie sport that was on the same level as skydiving, BASE jumping, and supersonic car racing, designed for nothing more than the rush of being alive. Rules Airlock Jumping, as described by Sally Acorn, is a combination of "Chicken and Long Jump". Competitors (or 'Jumpers') must don spacesuits in order to play. The premise of the game is that the competitor must expel himself from an airlock into open space. The player must then be able to travel as far as possible from the airlock before activating their space suit jets. Competitors are judged on their distance that they travel from the airlock that is measured by using a laser rangefinder. Those that travel farther are awarded more points, but there is a high chance that the farther away one goes, there is a chance that they may not be able to return either through lack of fuel, or through ineptitude using suit thrusters. The basic 'Rules' of the game involve the Jumper making a running jump from the airlock. The rules advise that this is done once the airlock has cycled open, but some Jumpers insisted on airlocks being opened quickly in emergency mode. This created a burst of air that escapes from the compartment. While the blast of air is not enough to pull the Jumper from the airlock, it does assist the Jumper in gaining extra speed. Timed correctly, it can add velocity, which is counted as part score. Timed incorrectly, it can damage, and sometimes breach a Jumper's suit, resulting in unconsciousness within 11 seconds, and if not treated quickly, death. Some Jumpers play with a safety rope that can go as far as two miles, though very few have attempted to travel this far. Safety Airlock Jumping itself, being an unofficial sport, was not regulated by any form of board of council. Jumpers were expected to act under their own conscience. However, three Jumpers lost their lives playing the sport by damaging their suits on their Jump attempts, leading Navy personnel to petition for a ban due to it being a waste on resources, and on lives. Internal Affairs ratified this, and mandated that Airlock Jumping be banned on all UNSC-owned vessels. This law did nothing to stop private citizens from playing the sport on their own. Variations Within four years, multiple variations of the sport appeared. One of the most popular variations was the Relay Jump - a race around a pre-determined set of buoies, or a singular beacon set a distance away from the airlock. These were considered more race-like nature due to the fact that competitors were more likely to have fun than worry about losing their lives. Some courses took on strange shapes, while others were simplistic. However, there were more sinister variations grouped together into what was known as Hardcore Airlock Jumping. This was a far deadlier breed of Jumping where only a single mistake could be enough to kill a Jumper. These were only reserved for the bravest and craziest. Some variations could include jumping out of an Airlock with no oxygen in the Jumper's tank where they needed to reach said tank before passing out. Another variation was called Surface Jumping, which took place on planetary surfaces that were void of atmosphere. These were more foot races that also involved using space suit jump jets to propel Jumpers to heights. List of Appearances *Journal of Sally Acorn (First Appearance) Category:Lore Category:Sports